Herd Your Horses
by Sunburned-Stickperson
Summary: Leonardo loved horses, there's no doubt. So, he gets the game called "Herd Your Horses" from Lucy, who lets them play it outside on the condition that Desmond, Shaun, Malik, Altair, and Ezio must play as well.


**Another blinking fricking prompt filled. I haven't written this much ever. Even during NaNoWriMo. I should be finishing that story. Not writing these! D: And I've already got a WWII prompt that I pledged to be filled. Man, after writing all these funny stories, it's gonna be... woo... I'm excited. :D**

**Pt.2 pg.30**

* * *

Leonardo was in absolute Heaven. He clutched the new board games to his chest as he walked down the street with Lucy.

"Thank you again, my friend!"

She chuckled quietly. "It's nothing, Leonardo. If you can get all of them to play the game, then we should be fine."

He smiled, and his eyes shone like a child at Christmas. The day was gorgeous, and he had to agree that the loose white shirt and blue jeans felt amazing on the beautiful spring day. A light breeze had picked up, and he was in Heaven.

"Miss Stillman—"

"Lucy, Leonardo, just call me Lucy."

He laughed. "I am truly sorry I keep forgetting that. Do you think we could play it outside?"

"Let me think about it."

His smile didn't falter as the breeze tugged at his shirt and hat. He sighed contentedly as they headed back to their station. Shaun and Lucy had gotten into a huge fight several days ago about how much time they were allowed to spend outside, and he remembered Shaun pulling her into a different room and listening to whispering voices as he told her about something. The others had been listening, too, but they were quiet enough that no one overheard. When she had come back out, she was a considerable amount paler, but she had been much more lenient since then.

So lenient, in fact, she was willing to let Leonardo change clothes, and although he refused to take off his hat, take him to buy the games he had found a toy store window: a Rubik's cube, Da Vinci's Challenge—he had smiled and laughed at the title—and Herd Your Horses. He could only imagine how incredible such a game must be if it included horses. He was dying to open it.

He could be only grateful to Shaun for whatever he had said all those weeks ago. He let his eyes sweep around the small town that was so painfully familiar and completely different all at the same time. The smell of spring surrounded him and lifted his spirits: it was on days like these he could forget everything that was happening and going to happen. He could forget solving the Apple, working on how to get home, worrying about Salai.

When they arrived back at the base, he rushed in, clutching his hat as he started running to find Ezio. He found Ezio hanging from a ledge on the ceiling, and Desmond looking at something on Shaun's computer and munching on a green-frosted cupcake, Shaun sitting right behind him, pointing things out. Malik was lying on a mat on the floor, and Altair lying with his head on Malik's stomach: they were bickering about something.

He set the games down, and within seconds, his lover was behind him, arms around his waist and peering over his shoulder.

"What do you have there, my love?"

He chuckled at his antics and pulled the toys out one by one. When he pulled out Da Vinci's Challenge, Ezio swiped it away and wandered off, staring at it. He opened the horse game and fished around for the instructions, keeping one ear trained on the conversation Shaun and the others were having.

"But why would they name it after my Leonardo? He could beat this game in no time!"

Shaun sighed. "The point of the game is the puzzle."

"Ridiculous! How did they know if he even wanted such a game—"

"Welcome to American capitalism," he heard Desmond drawl. "If it sells, it's used, and obviously, someone liked Leonardo enough they thought it would sell. And it did. It must've done really well to land overseas in Italy."

Leonardo chuckled as he continued to read the instructions. Four players weren't enough for the six of them, but he wanted all of them to play. He "fished out" the four playing pieces with the stickers of the horses on them, and he stared at them as if they would just suddenly duplicate—duplicate.

The artist's eyes widened: he knew how to get enough pieces for all six men to play. He spun in his spot and walked off briskly, returning shortly after with the Apple in his hands.

"What are you doing with that?" he heard Malik snap.

"I am simply using it to create more playing pieces for all of us. I need two more."

There was silence for a little bit before he felt Ezio at his side, scowling.

"Yes, Ezio?"

"Leonardo, you don't have to pretend to have a wild stallion when you've got one you can ride all you want right here."

He froze, his cheeks turning a bright red. Slowly, he looked at Ezio, who was giving him a serious look. An awkward silence settled over them all before Desmond started sniggering. Shortly after, he heard Shaun cough and break into a round of quiet laughter.

"E—Ezio…"

Ezio laughed and pulled his lover into a giant, warm hug. "Leonardo, you are the best."

He simply turned away, still bright red as he continued to tinker with the Apple. It wasn't long before it started to glow gold.

"What are you doing, my friend?"

"I'm going to use the Apple to create two more pieces, and then we'll all play. Lucy promised us that we could play the game outside."

"If we go outside, I'm so not playing any stupid horsey board game."

He looked at Desmond with a glare. "We're allowed to play it outside because we won't be moving anywhere. We could take the mats, the pillows and a table out and set up a playing area near the back of the building."

Shaun leaned back in his chair. "She actually said that we were free to play this outside?"

Leonardo pursed his lips. "Well, not yet, but I don't see—"

He looked at Shaun, who stood up. "I'll go ask. If we can get out. I'm in."

Leonardo looked surprised. "You'll play?"

"Anything to get out of this drab, blasted building."

"You realize if you play this, I'm never gonna let you live this down, Horsemister."

The British man turned and glared at Desmond. "If I play, you play too, you twit."

Desmond balked and looked at him. "You're kidding me!"

Shaun wore a triumphant smirk. "Of course not. As your baby-sitter, what I say goes."

"I didn't ask for a babysitter!"

"I didn't ask to be a babysitter, yet here I am, lad. You're coming outside and playing this ridiculous little kids' game."

"No way. I'm not going."

"Yes, you are. Don't make me go tell Lucy."

The Apple flashed gold twice, and Leonardo twisted his lips in concentration.

"I won't listen to her. I'm not going to play it."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

Shaun simply gave a sigh and walked off to find Lucy. "All right, I'll be back."

Leonardo watched as he walked further into the villa. He looked back at the Apple. As he continued to work it, he saw Ezio's hands run down his arms and cover his hands, slowly working his fingers off it.

"For as much a genius as you are, you cannot use the Apple to duplicate pieces of plastic."

He frowned, tightening his grip. "How to you know? It duplicated you, and it brought us here. Surely it can do something as simple as replicate a tiny piece of plastic."

He watched as Ezio continued to gently pry the Apple from his fingers.

"Call it a hunch, but it's not going to work. Do you know how to work it, even?" Ezio murmured.

Leonardo looked "put off," yanking it away from Ezio's grip.

"He knows more than you do, novice. He wasn't the one who got you transported here, hm?"

He looked at Malik, who was scowling at Ezio. He turned his head to see Ezio glaring at him.

Altair growled again as Shaun walked back in wearing a "shit-eating" grin.

"Well, well, well, on direct orders from Lucy, Desmond, you are to go outside and play the board game with us. She said she'd bring us refreshments."

Desmond frowned, crossing his arms. "Not fair."

"Everything's fair in love and war, love. Isn't that how the saying goes?"

Leonardo chuckled and yelped when Ezio swiped the Apple from him, holding it just out of his reach. The artist growled and tried to reach it, frustrated as he kept moving it around, always just out of reach. He growled again as his assassin threw an underhanded pitch to Altair, who caught it without getting up. It landed with a quiet "fwump" in his hand, and he rested a hand over it on his stomach. Leonardo scowled, looking down. He raised an eyebrow at the two small lumps in his jeans pocket.

"Don't look at me like that: it doesn't suit you at all."

Leonardo tried to glare at him, but the smile Ezio was giving him caused him to sigh and cross his arms.

"I know how to make copies of myself: I could figure out how to make two more pieces," Leonardo huffed, still trapped in Ezio's arms.

Ezio leaned in and kissed his cheek. "With your skills, we can make our own pieces."

Leonardo looked upset. "But, Ezio—"

He was silenced with a kiss on the lips before the assassin pulled away and walked over to begin gathering the mats and pillows scattered over the floor—thanks to insistence from Malik and Altair.

"Come, let's go enjoy the day before we must hide again."

"You'll play, too?" Leonardo was genuinely surprised.

"Of course. I must make sure these horses cannot replace me."

Leonardo groaned and covered his face, but not before noticing the smirk that Ezio threw his way.

"What about you, Malik, will you play?" Leonardo watched him as Shaun helped gather the mats willingly—Desmond dragging his feet as he hoisted a small crate to serve as their table.

"Only if I can see the colored cube you bought."

He turned and picked up the Rubik's cube. "This?"

"Yes." Malik was slowly getting up, Altair rising and walking off to put the Apple back in their room.

Leonardo smiled. "Lucy recommended it. She said it's a challenge for most people."

"It should be easy for you," Shaun said. "It,s easy for me."

The artist beamed, and Shaun continued, "And it would be interesting to see if Malik could beat those kids that train to do it one-handed."

Malik raised an eyebrow. "What fool would train for that?"

"A fool interested in making money by doing it the fastest."

The Arab gave a cool smirk, looking at the cube. "Challenge accepted."

Leonardo saw Altair shake his head, and Leonardo smiled as he gathered the game in his arms, brimming with energy as they moved outside.

He couldn't help but sigh contentedly as they walked into the sunlight again, the breeze tugging at clothes. As they set up, Ezio, Altair, and Desmond watched them closely, all three of them looking faintly upset that they had to play the game. Leonardo breathed deeply.

"The Lord our God smiles upon us today."

Shaun chuckled. "It's about time."

"Must we play this game? Perhaps we could watch once?" Ezio said.

All three turned to look at the assassins.

"You have to play!"

"Those were the terms Lucy said must happen if you want to stay out here."

"But, we could, I dunno, jog laps or something? You know, enjoy the day and have a playful workout instead?" Desmond looked desperate to get out of it.

"No," Shaun said. "You'll play this, regardless. Otherwise, I'll have Lucy go get that Pretty, Pretty Princess game you told me about, and we'll doll you up right."

Desmond scowled at him. Shaun smirked victoriously.

"There are only four pieces," Altair said flatly, staring at the board.

Leonardo frowned, looking down at the board. Then, he gasped, his eyes twinkling as he snapped his fingers and dug into his pocket. His fingers curled around whatever was in his pocket, and he pulled them out, uncurling his hand with a bubbly smile.

"No, we have six! The Apple made them for us!"

Desmond groaned miserably and flopped back on the grass. Malik smirked. Altair looked shocked. Leonardo smiled brilliantly and set the pieces on the board.

"Well, come on! Let me explain to you how this works."

He saw Malik reading the side of the box. He didn't bother to look up as he set it down and took a set near Leonardo.

"And since it's for children eight and up, even you three should be able to understand the instructions."

Shaun snickered as he sat across from Leonardo. The artist watched as Ezio drew a deep breath and sat beside him, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Can I be the white one, mi amor?" he whispered into Leonardo's ear.

"Stormcloud? Of course! And I will be Gold Dust!" He moved a yellow and a white piece off to the side.

Malik reached out and took the red piece. "This one is mine."

Leonardo smiled. "All right. We have the black one, Black Bart, and the two the Apple gave us: a grey horse and a dark brown one."

Shaun snatched the dark brown one, and Desmond took the grey one, which left Altair with Black Bart. Leonardo smiled, picked up the instructions and began to read them. When he was done, before he could ask, Malik snapped an "You understand what he said?" and placed his piece on the board, a humored, yet fierce determination in his eyes. Altair set his horse beside Malik's and looked the man in the face.

"Of course, and to prove how well I did, I'll slaughter you and your herd."

Malik scoffed. "My herd will leave yours in the dust."

Ezio smiled and boldly placed his in front of theirs. "Mine will be twice as big as both of yours and still make it to Green River Valley first."

Leonardo looked at Shaun, who had an amused smile as he set his horse down quietly. Desmond sighed miserably and placed his piece down.

"Very well," Leonardo said, chuckling, "let's begin. I'll go first, followed by Malik, Shaun, Desmond, Ezio, and finally, Altair."

They were all ready too revved up to play to disagree.

A few minutes later, and Ezio was the first to land on a "Adventure Card" near Loon Lake. With a herd size of seven—they had started out with five—he was confident that he couldn't have any harm done.

"A drought makes water scarce. You'll drink any water you can find. Move to the Mustang Horse spot next to Stinking Water Springs and take a card from the Mustang stack."

He grinned devilishly at Desmond and placed his piece beside the grey horse, drawing a mustang card. Then he held out his hand.

"Okay Desmond, you know the rules. Hand over one of those beautiful mares. How about the one named 'Bitty Babe'?"

Desmond rolled his eyes and handed it over.

The minutes began to pass quickly as they began to play. Horse cards exchanged hands and went back in the stack several times each minute as they tried to play as dirty as possible: stealing one another's mares, sending bachelor stallions after the herds.

Leonardo landed on an Adventure Card spot just inside of Floopy Flats and held his breath as he drew his card. He gasped, horrified.

"Leonardo?" Ezio looked worried.

"I…" He looked about ready to cry. "A mare foals (gives birth) too early in the spring. The baby doesn't survive the cold, harsh weather."

His eyes were watering as h looked down to his only mare with a foal.

"If you have a Mare with Foal card, put it back in the stack."

He was staring at a card labeled "Blondie and Cream."

"Oh, Leonardo…" Ezio pulled him into a hug.

Altair rolled his eyes, and Malik watched calmly. Shaun looked slightly upset. He slowly put them back in the stack, trying not to cry. Surprisingly, Desmond reached over and placed a hand over Leonardo's, looking remarkable serious and worried.

"If you roll a four or a six, you can land on my spot and take one of my mares with a foal."

Leonardo wiped his eye on the back of his hand. "Are you sure?"

"Of course."

And he did roll a six, and he took Desmond's card that had "Denver and Blaze." Soon after, Ezio and Altair were "neck and neck" in the Singing Goat Mesa, approaching the end, and Malik was in Gull-Headed Lake. Leonardo was still back at Floopy Flats, gathering a large herd slowly and steadily with Shaun nearby. Desmond, surprisingly, was near the Lazy B ranch, huddled near the board, chin on his knee, playing eagerly.

It was Desmond's turn.

"You know, I'm sending Patton, my bachelor stallion after Star with her foal, Banner."

He reached over and took the card from Ezio's herd. Ezio snarled, and Desmond grinned. He rolled the die, getting a five. He started scanning the board before a wicked grin spread on his face.

"Come on, we're getting old," Shaun said with a sigh.

He grinned at Shaun and moved his piece to the Mustang Spot in Singing Goat Mesa, where both Altair and Ezio were. Collectively, the group stared wide-eyed at the board as Desmond drew Amanda, the lead mare, and looked over Altair's herd.

"From you," he reached over, pressing against his leg as to let his hand hover over the cards, "I want Darcey and Gus."

He picked up the Tobiano with her foal and set it in his herd. Ezio paled considerably.

"And I think you know what I want, Ezio."

Ezio slapped his hands down over his cards. "No, you cannot have them."

Desmond's grin grew wider, and he motioned for the card. "Come on, rules of the game."

"No."

Desmond giggled, yes, giggled and he motioned for the card again. "Fork it over. It's rightfully mine."

"No."

"It's the rules, Ezio," Leonardo murmured, looking sad for Ezio's loss.

"No. He's already taken one of my mares with foals!"

"Ezio…" Leonardo said.

"Belt up," Shaun said. "And let him have the card."

Desmond looked like he might explode with giddiness. "Gimme'm."

Ezio shook his head. "No. He loaded the dice."

"He didn't. We all saw."

"I'm not giving it to him."

"Lucyyyyyyyyyyyyyy…" Desmond whined as the young woman came out with lemonade and a plate of crackers. "Ezio's not playing right."

"He rigged the game! He's cheating!"

"I am not! Gimme the card!"

"No!"

Lucy looked at both of them, then looked at Leonardo, who nodded. "Desmond's right."

Lucy gave Ezio a stern look. "Ezio, give him the card, or I'll keep you inside next time the others are out."

Ezio's jaw dropped. "You're bluffing."

"You're going to try me?"

Ezio grumbled and handed over the card. "He cheated."

"I did not," Desmond said gleefully as he looked down at the only mare with two foals. "Hello Dusty, Sun, and Sand!"

Lucy shook her head. "You ought to consider moving the game indoors soon. It's all ready been two hours."

The six heads looked up collectively. "What?"

Desmond smacked Ezio's hand as it snuck over to try to grab the double-foaled mare. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, you've all been out here long enough—"

"We'll be fine, Lucy," Shaun said, turning back to the game.

"I think it's time you come in."

Shaun met her worried gaze with a commanding, hard stare. His lips were holding the beginning of a scowl. "We'll be fine. They won't come for us."

"How do you know?"

Shaun sneered. "Does anything in that brain of yours remember our conversation a few weeks ago?"

Lucy looked surprised, then she bit her lip. "I just… Shaun… I don't…"

"We'll. Be. Fine."

"Are you—"

"The Templars aren't going to touch us. We're safe."

She looked slightly upset, but she set the food down and turned to walk back in. "If you're sure…"

Shaun sighed exasperatedly and turned to the tray, pouring himself a glass of lemonade and ignoring the silence.

"What was that all about, Shaun?" Malik frowned and studied him closely.

The historian met his gaze with just as intensely. "I suppose you really want to know."

"Yes!" Leonardo shouted, jolting forward.

The British man looked slightly surprised.

"I've been dying to know! What on earth are you hiding?"

Shaun sighed set his glass down, reaching into his butt pocket and pulling out a wallet. He frowned, looking at all of them with a serious stare.

"It will not leave this game. Understood? One 'slip-up,' and everything's in jeopardy. Including our lives."

Leonardo nodded vigorously until Shaun received quiet promises not to tell and opened his wallet. He sighed and pulled out a card, setting it down on the gameboard.

Finally, Desmond spoke: "Shaun, why do you have a master keycard for Abstergo like Dr. Vindic?"

"I work for them."

Leonardo's eyes grew wide.

"As a top-ranking spy, and have been since I was sent there as a young lad. The whole reason I 'became an assassin' was a setup to get me into the order."

Desmond rose—it was easy to feel the fury seeping out of him, although Shaun seemed unfazed as he continued: "However, you might consider me an independent double agent for the assassins."

Leonardo blinked. "A double what?"

Shaun looked at them. "I'm pretending to spy for the Templars—but am really using them to the advantage of the assassins. I must admit: I never dreamed of becoming a double agent."

Desmond slowly sunk back down to sit. "Then why—"

"I needed to use them."

"Huh?"

"Protection. For example, to change locations. The gas pipes were leaking in the warehouse, so I told them when you were coming out of the Animus, and they forced us to leave."

They were silent for a moment before Desmond slowly grabbed the keycard. "Why did you turn against them? If they find out, you're dead."

"For you, my dear Desmond. I didn't want to lose you to the Bleeding Effect, and it was much too painful to watch you destroy yourself."

Desmond studied him disbelievingly. Shaun scooped the dice in hand and held it out to Altair as he took a sip of his lemonade.

"Let's finish this game. I want to see which one of you three idiots win."

Altair took the die and looked at it carefully.

"Remember," Shaun began as he plucked the card from Desmond and tucked it away, "none of you know this."

He sipped from the glass. Altair rolled the die and moved his piece, but not before Desmond had leaned over and kissed Shaun's cheek.

"Thanks, Shaun."

The historian blushed behind his glass of lemonade.

The rest of the game went by without a hitch, and before they knew it, all six of them were just outside Dead Horse Pass, "raring" to make it into Green River Valley. The atmosphere was practically crackling with tension as the die was rolled and curses spewed. They were all hunched over the board, cursing and rolling and moving and swapping horses, unable to get the number they needed or higher.

Leonardo rolled the die and tried to move to Green River Valley, but he was one off. He cursed and moved around to Malik's spot, taking a card.

Shaun shook it almost violently, his face one of serious concentration. He opened his palms and let it fall to the board as he held his breath. He cursed wildly and sat back. He was three too short.

Desmond bit his lip as he shook the die in his hand and let it hit the board. He blinked, then blinked again. With a yell, he leapt up, punching the air and laughing loudly before swooping back down and moving his piece into Green River Valley.

"Take that! I won!"

Ezio cursed and stood up, knocking the pieces and card piles awry as he did. "You lying bastard!"

Desmond gave him a victorious grin. "'Fraid not, old man."

Ezio snarled and leapt at him, knocking them into the ground. "You must have cheated! You couldn't have gotten Dusty, Sun, and Sand and still beaten all of us to the valley! You cheated!"

They were rolling around in the grass, getting gloriously bright green grass stains all over their clothes.

"You motherfucker, I did not! You're just upset cause I won!"

Leonardo watched them wrestle as Shaun snickered and started cleaning. Malik was smirking too as he rolled up the mats. Desmond yelped when Ezio socked him in the gut.

"You cheater!"

Clocked in the jaw. "I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

They rammed into the side of the building as they argued about Desmond cheating. Leonardo jumped when he felt Rebecca move beside him with a video camera.

"Oh, this is gonna be a hit on youtube."


End file.
